The present invention relates to a helical scan type magnetic tape recording reproducing apparatus wherein magnetic heads are arranged to rotate between coaxially mounted upper and lower drums.
Conventional magnetic recording reproducing apparatus comprise a pair of coaxially mounted, identical full-cylindrical drums which are vertically spaced apart to rotatably mount therebetween a rotary yoke carrying a transducer head at each end thereof. This yoke is rotated at high speeds to provide recording of signals on a magnetic tape wound on the drums obliquely with respect to the axis of rotation of the yoke. In a prior art apparatus, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a tape loading arrangement including a roller post 2, and inclined post 3, a roller post 4 and an inclined post 5 is moved to pull out magnetic tape 6 from a cassette 1 in the direction of an arrow A and wind it on the upper and lower drums 7 and 8, and then a rotary yoke 11 having heads 9 and 10 is rotated for recording a signal on and reproducing it from the magnetic tape 6.
It has recently become necessary to minimize the size of the apparatus as small as possible so that it can be even more easily carried and compactly stored. In video tape recording, the compactness of the apparatus is of particular advantage if it can be combined with a video camera. However, the prior art structure of drum assembly is not suitable for this purpose since the assembly occupies a substantial amount of space and weight.